DataVita says Lanarkshire AI centre will rely on National Grid after renewable pledge questioned
DataVita, a datacentre developer tied to the UK’s AI strategy, has said the Chapelhall AI project near Glasgow will be fully supplied by the National Grid.
DataVita, a datacentre developer tied to the UK’s AI strategy, has said the Chapelhall AI project near Glasgow will be fully supplied by the National Grid. The company had earlier announced that the Lanarkshire development would draw 1 GW of renewable power – an amount the Guardian compared with the output of a small nuclear reactor or Britain’s largest windfarm. When the Guardian asked for clarification, DataVita responded that the renewable‑energy arrangement remains "subject to final commercial agreements, planning, grid and consenting processes". The revised plan still references a 1 GW renewable target, but the firm now acknowledges that the grid will provide the electricity. The shift comes after scrutiny of the original claim that the datacentre would be wholly powered by green sources.
Why it matters
The clarification highlights uncertainty over the project’s renewable credentials, which could affect expectations for clean‑energy use in the UK’s AI infrastructure.
Key details
- Location
- United Kingdom · Europe
- Reported by
- The Guardian
- First reported
- Key names
- Lanarkshire AI, National Grid, UK’s AI, Chapelhall
- Section
- Technology
- Figure cited
- DataVita, a key plank of the UK’s AI strategy, had promised that the Lanarkshire project would draw 1GW – the equivalent output of a small nuclear reactor, or Britain’s largest windfarm – from green sources. (The Guardian)
Sources
This is an independent summary. Read the full, original reporting from the publisher:
Read the full story at The GuardianSpotted an error? Request a correction · How this summary was produced
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